A 74-year-old hiker trapped in the remote and not-to-be-reckoned-with Elands River Mouth was rescued against every odd that made for one of the most trying and rewarding rescues.

Eastern Cape, South Africa (28 May 2025) — Against every odd, a 74-year-old senior hiker made it out of a remote gorge in the Eastern Cape thanks to a team who took a risk to save a life.

Last month, the senior hiker had taken a fall upstream of the Elands River Mouth, Grootkrans. She had fallen and injured herself hours before she could get in touch with help. However, this would be no ordinary rescue.

When NSRI Station Commander Lodewyk Van Rensburg got the call, he immediately knew it would be tough. Getting to the Elands River Mouth is its own mission, given the limited access by road. Once you do manage to get there, you’re met with a gorge boasting steep and sharp cliffs, not to mention a surf even the most ambitious water warriors avoid. Winds are also tough, and on a bad day, fog sets stubbornly, as was the case on the day of the rescue. Not to mention, nighttime was nearing.

All of these factors betted against the hiker’s survival, and all were present the day she needed help. However, the NSRI Oyster Bay team braved it all to pull off the unthinkable, bringing her home.

According to Lodewyk, winds were blowing at 30 knots while the sea climbed to 4 metres. No helicopter support was avaliable to the rescuers, so all they could rely on was their rescue craft and their courage.

“Luckily, we caught water going in,” Lodewyk shares of how the rescuers manager to get into the gorge via crossing a sandbank.

In the gorge, the team located the fallen hiker and had to swim her toward the rescue vessel using a backboard. This, because no paramedics could accompany the rescue team given the tough terrain that was decided not to be conducive for carrying gear.

Just when things were looking up, a new issue arose that made exiting its own challenge, the boat had gotten stuck on the sandbank, prohibiting a swift goodbye to the gorge.

“We stood there for 15 minutes. I asked the crew how they felt, and they said, ‘It’s now’, recalls Lodewyk. The team timed their run between wave swells to catch the right wave and get out. “The second wave broke underneath the boat. We only just made it.”

Hope was finally tangible again as the vessel made its way 12 nautical miles to shore.

At around 9pm, the rescue of a lifetime came to its end. With landing lights set up by Ian Gray of the NSRI’s Regional Operations Support Committee, light quite literally shone at the end of the tunnel.

The hiker was suspected to have spinal injuries and hints of hypothermia. However, her chances of survival were hugely influenced by the work of the brave people who risked their own safety that day.

“To be quite honest, I think the risk that we took was very high,” Lodewyk said of heading out into the gorge. “But when the doctor told us that if we hadn’t taken her out that night, she may not have made it — it kind of changed the whole perspective.”

This rescue is considered one of the most demanding rescue operations in recent times for NSRI Station 36 Oyster Bay. But, it should also be considered one of their proudest!

Sources: NSRI 

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post Getting Out of the Gorge: Senior Hiker Rescued Against Every Odd  appeared first on Good Things Guy.

This year’s National Cupcake Day did not disappoint! Our nation’s sweetest mission saw bakers unite from all over South Africa to bake massive changes into the lives of children fighting cancer. Together, they raised over R 2million:

South Africa (02 October 2024) — National Cupcake Day has come and gone once again, leaving behind a sweet legacy and massive change for children fighting cancer in South Africa.

In exceptional news for this year’s cupcake mission, a whopping R2,326,347 million has been raised thanks to all those who participated—from South African decorating savants to baking wizards, rookies in the kitchen, professional pastry legends and all those who came out to support the cause.

Underway this past weekend on 28 September, malls across South Africa lit up with cupcake delights of all shades, colours and flavours. 70 malls took part in the challenge, while thousands of bakers took part.

The funds they helped raise head off to help Cupcakes of Hope, an NPC and PBO that provides assistance and support to families and children fighting cancer. If the name wasn’t enough of an indicator, Cupcakes of Hope does a lot of their incredible work (they’ve assisted more than 10,000 patients in the past 20 years) through cupcake-centric fundraising efforts, year-round.

Their efforts help support everything from covering medical bills to other essential needs like nappies and nutrition.

In even more good news, this year’s National Cupcake Day outdid last year’s number of funds raised (R2,278,525), meaning that awareness and support for childhood cancer are spreading far and wide like icing on a massive cake of local love!

As Cupcakes of Hope aptly puts it:

Mother Teresa said: “We can’t all do great things, but we can do little things with great LOVE”. And that is what Cupcakes of HOPE is all about. Thank you for helping us spread Cupcake LOVE all across South Africa.”

Sources: Cupcakes of Hope 

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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The 2024 TIME’s Kid of The Year is on a mission few his age would even dare. At only 15, Heman Bekele is developing a soap that has the potential to treat and even prevent skin cancer!

Global (27 August 2024)—TIME Magazine has named and famed its 2024 ‘Kid of the Year’—a giant’s title recognising an exceptional young person who’s giving the future hope!

This year’s ‘Kid of the Year’ is a teen on a mission far beyond his years. At just 15 years old, Heman Bekele, based in Virginia, USA, has not only dreamt of developing a way to treat skin cancer affordably and accessibly but has actually put his dream into action and developed a solution.

As TIME informs, “[Heman] is recognised for developing an affordable compound-based bar of soap that could in the future be a new and more accessible way to deliver medication to treat skin cancers, including melanoma.”

Heman has been fascinated by science since he was four years old when he began cooking up ‘potions’—concoctions of household items like dish soap or laundry detergents thrown together to simply see what would happen (if anything).

As he got older, Heman moved on to chemistry sets, then science classes, tons of his own research and last year in a massive leap— winning a Young Scientist Challenge for a remarkable project: a soap that had the potential to treat skin cancers, or even prevent them.

All eyes were soon on Heman’s soap idea, both for its potential (that earned nods from many experts) and for the fact that its maker was only 15. Not too much later down the line, the young scientist was afforded the chance to work at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s labs to further develop his ‘hope soap’!

Drawn toward skin cancer research and inspired by conditions in his home country of Addis Ababa, where he had grown up seeing many people at work under the unforgiving sun, Heman began investigating treatment solutions.

He wanted to see if certain treatments used to fight tumours could be made more accessible to those facing earlier stages of cancer and if there was a way that the costs linked to these treatments could be cut.

Speaking to TIME, he explains how he decided on bars of soap:

“What is one thing that is an internationally impactful idea, something that everyone can use, [regardless of] socioeconomic class? Almost everyone uses soap and water for cleaning. So soap would probably be the best option.”

For many months, Heman has been able to conduct professional research in labs alongside other scientists and mentors who are helping him with their expertise.

While there’s still a very long way to go before the hope soap will be ready for any sort of approvals, the kind of determination guiding his path forward might just mean that Heman could change the world before he’s even18.

“A lot of people have this mindset that everything’s been done, there’s nothing left for me to do. To anybody having that thought, [I’d say] we’ll never run out of ideas in this world. Just keep inventing. Keep thinking of new ways to improve our world and keep making it a better place.” —Heman Bekele.

Sources: TIME 

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post TIME’s Kid of The Year Hopes to Treat Skin Cancer with Soap appeared first on Good Things Guy.

A tragic accident. Emergency surgery. Less than-ideal chances of survival and a coma couldn’t stop Skye Da Silva. This year, she completed the Comrades and won a medal of heart only few can say they’ve earned—triumph over adversity. This is Skye’s story:

Johannesburg, South Africa (29 July 2024) — A fateful December day in 2022 saw Skye Da Silva face the biggest challenge of her life. What began as a long weekend of mountain biking in Bela Bela with friends turned into a small fall with great consequences and a massive shift in the trajectory of Skye’s story forever. A trajectory that would lead her to understand just how powerful her mind is, how strong her heart is, and how invincible anyone is when they accept that they are not a product of their environment.

Skye had fallen on a gravel road after 2 hours of riding. However, there were two support vehicles trailing behind and one which did not see Skye’s fall; consequentially riding over her.

Even when retelling that moment, Skye does so with a glance at the silver lining.

“Luckily my bike took most of the blow,” she recalls. But the blow she did take crushed her face, upper trachea, shoulders and ribs.

Flown by helicopter to Milpark Hospital, Skye’s prognosis of survival wasn’t looking good. After emergency surgery, where 40 plates and 60 bolts were placed to reconstruct her face, her jaw was wired, and a first-of-its-kind surgery was done on the 5cm tear in her throat; she would lie in a coma for three weeks.

“23 kgs lighter, I woke up to a loving family and group of friends,” she tells Good Things Guy.

Once again, spotlighting the silver lining of what most would deem the darkest cloud of an experience; sharing how much her loved ones supported her by making her smoothies, visiting on rotation and even helping her get her hair and nails done.

Weaker than ever and just a coin’s throw from death’s door, Skye did something incredible—she chose not to let any of what had happened define her. With the knowledge that she’d still be able to walk (despite needing to relearn everything from taking steps to blinking), it would only be a mere 17 months until she proved her mental tenacity and unwavering spirit and competed in the Comrades she’d signed up for that year!

“I still remember the moment I decided not to identify as injured or sick, and decided to fight to get out of the hospital.

“I had been awake for 3 days and needed to see one of the surgeons. I was wheel chaired to his offices just outside the hospital and it was the first time I felt the sun on my skin. It was the most incredible feeling (as in the coma I was sooooo cold). I burst out crying thinking how brilliant it was to be awake, to be alive. And from that moment, you couldn’t stop me.”

Skye adds that it was also her father, Joe, who inspired her to rally for the race (and for life) once more with his words, “You cannot let the bad things that happen to you define the way you live the rest of your life.”

For his influence in her mental and physical recovery, Skye couldn’t be more grateful.

“It was him who got me moving—and didn’t let me stop moving—when I got back home. He would walk with me slowly, patiently up and down the road when I couldn’t even do 1km at a time. He kept pushing me to do more and more each day.

“And when I saw my Coach again a few weeks later, I said, ‘Will you train me for Comrades 2024?’ To his credit, he didn’t skip a beat saying, ‘He wouldn’t have it any other way’!”

But there would be an immense amount of mental and physical work to do beyond the can-do spirit.

Considering that in January 2023, Skye was so weak drinking water was a challenge, the physical effort she underwent was beyond what most of us can comprehend. Then there’s the mentality aspect to Skye’s story—the most important.

“With me it’s all mental. I have no running talent and my job keeps me busy…but for me, it’s always that small little sentence that when it gets dark, I know where to find some light: ‘don’t let the bad, but [rather] the good things define you!”

Armed with a mind focused on what was possible, Skye’s slow walking up the driveway eventually became walking further. Then, running only a few months later, albeit slowly. By October, Skye’s recovery had gone so well that she re-entered the Cape Town marathon to qualify for the Comrades.

However, life dealt her another blow—the heart-wrenching news that her hero, her dad, had passed away.

“If you know me—this moment was my biggest fear. My father and I were inseparable, called each other 4 times a day, drank beers together, spoke about everything important and unimportant—I could not imagine a world without him! It was then that I thought yet another Comrades entry was going to go unused—I had no will to train. I was busy making sure my mom and sister were okay!”

But, her coach, squad and friends encouraged her to keep striving for the Comrades, largely in honour of Skye’s dad. And so she trained—on the days she didn’t even want to get out of bed, on the days she felt unmotivated and the days where even moving seemed like an impossible task.

“People drive to another town to run with me to do my qualifying marathon! Team mates would come second me on my long 60km runs! And it was on the Two Oceans Ultramarathon where I was struggling at the halfway mark, and I whispered, Dad stay close—and all of a sudden his favourite song boomed out of the loud speaker—A Bad Moon Rising!”

After all that and the completion of the Two Oceans, she knew the Ultimate Human Race had to be next—an Ultimate Human Race like no other in the truest sense of the phrase.

When it was time to face the Comrades, Skye remembers the day being “intensely beautiful”.

With no time goal and two close friends at her side, the Comrades unfolded gorgeously like the end of a chapter.

“It was the journey to the Comrades that was the toughest—not the day itself,” Skye reflects.

“We had the most magical time winding the streets together and my best friend Storme saw that if we pushed it at the end, we could get a sub-11 hour race! A BRONZE MEDAL! So we sprinted the last 5kms.”

Skye finished the race in under 11 hours!

From her dad to her friends, running squad, mom and sister (her biggest cheerleaders), Skye marvels at how her accomplishment on her own feet was actually the product of so many others. So many hearts. So many rooted in her support.

“Crossing that finish line, is an amazing feeling. It had taken everything I had, everything a team of people had around me and a dad looking down on me to cross it! To sum up, while running is an individual sport, I would say crossing the finish line at Comrades is such a team effort and team win.”

Skye’s race to the Comrades and through it, is a real life telling of the capacity the human spirit has to push forward. To overcome. To stand in the face of adversity and put it in its place.

Her story reminds us the sheer power that comes from planting the right mental seeds, watering them with enough support from others and above all else, deciding that we will bloom even when everything is telling us we shouldn’t.

As the hero of this story says so beautifully in addressing anyone facing the unimaginable:

“You are stronger than you think. The world is brighter than you think. And always look at the good things in life to keep you going… Don’t be a product of your environment. Make your environment a product of you.”—Skye Da Silva.

Sources: GTG Interview 

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Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post From a Coma to the Comrades: Skye’s Story Can’t Help but Inspire appeared first on Good Things Guy.

If you squirm at the thought of taking a cold shower, you’d probably think icy swimmer Howard Warrington (who swam an infamously cold crossing 200 times) is a madman. Well, the method to his madness has certainly paid off and warmed hearts across the country—Howard has helped raise over R200,000 for animals in need!

Cape Town, South Africa (08 July 2024) — It’s been nothing short of a hero’s journey for conquerer of icy waters, Howard Warrington, who recently became the world’s first swimmer to complete 200 swims across the Robben Island to Blouberg crossing. The icy swimmer was steadfast in his mission: complete the record number of swims and help as many animals as possible. And that’s exactly what he has done!

Some might remember that Howard’s first 100 swims were also completed with tail-wagging intentions in 2022. Then, he raised over R120,000 for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA in a feel-good story that still warms our hearts.

As of the end of June, Howard gave hearts across Cape Town and the country even more reason to warm up in the winter cold when he finished his 200 ‘Swims for Survival’ challenge. The pending Guinness World Record aside, the core of the cause was to help financially support the Cape of Hope SPCA to whom the countdown to 200 swims was dedicated. 

In breaking good news, Howard’s efforts helped raise over R200,000 for the animal welfare organisation to the tune of R202,438.10 after communities of animal lovers responded to the call.

Thanks to Howard and every single drop that made up the donation amount, the SPCA’s Animal Hospital can now be supported, as can more Cape animals in need.

“Every cent will flow directly toward the treatment of stray animals and pets belonging to families in need,” the Cape of Good Hope SPCA confirmed. 

We’re all crying enough happy tears to fill a new crossing for Howard to swim across.

Sources: Cape of Good Hope SPCA; Howard Warrington 

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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In a massive act of kindness, an anonymous R1 million donation has made two life-saving surgeries possible for two little ones in KwaZulu-Natal; affording them the chance at a happy and healthy life!

KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (06 June 2024) — Earlier this year, a massive act of kindness (an anonymous R1 million donation from a guardian angel) transformed the future of three little lives.

These children had congenital heart diseases and were in desperate need of surgery to give them a shot at a healthy life. Thanks to the fortune donated to the Angel Network anonymously (on the condition that the money would be used for surgeries that would change or save the lives of children in South Africa) all three were able to get the help they needed in a happy ending that still warms our hearts.

But, this was not the last of the guardian angel’s incredible kindness.

As the Angel Network tells Good Things Guy, two more lives have been touched by one person’s incredible kindness after the same anonymous donor gifted the Angel Network another R1 million for imperative surgeries.

“In a heartwarming display of generosity, an anonymous donor has once again stepped forward to fund two paediatric heart surgeries, ensuring the chance of a happy and healthy life for these children,” says the Angel Network Durban’s Rachel Kinloch. 

“With a donation of R1 million rand, the donor has extended a lifeline through the Angel Network and the Cardiac Foundation, enabling these life-saving procedures to take place.” 

The surgeries were underway at the Ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre, where little Keziah Pillay underwent Tetralogy surgery and Nkanyezi Khanye underwent ASD closure surgery. Both little patients have not even turned two years old yet.

Their stories are a beacon of hope for other families facing similar situations with their own loved ones.

“As we celebrate this remarkable act of kindness, we extend our deepest gratitude to the anonymous donor whose generosity knows no bounds. Their commitment to making a difference in the lives of these children serves as a poignant reminder of the power of human kindness and the potential for positive change when we come together to support one another.” Rachel Kinloch.

Sources: GTG Interview — Rachel Kinloch 

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Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post Another Anonymous R1 Million Donation Changes Young Lives! appeared first on Good Things Guy.

Nine months, an odyssey on two wheels and a journey of self later, and Paul Edkins cycle for the Black Mambas has come to an epic end! From the beauty to the struggles and everything in between, we caught up with Paul:

Global (17 April 2024) — It took months of dedication. Miles of strength. A bit of stubbornness and a lot of heart. But, Paul Edkins has successfully finished his mammoth cycle from the United Kingdom to South Africa!

What makes someone want to hit the pedals for such an overwhelming distance? For Paul who was born in South Africa, the journey was inspired by a longing for home, a big push to escape his comfort zone, and hope that he could raise awareness and support for South African superheroes and champions of anti-poaching efforts, The Black Mambas. 

Beginning last year, Paul’s days on the roads turned into weeks, and then a handful of months and then 9 entire months, as he and his wheels saw everywhere from Turkey to Egypt to Kenya and eventually, South Africa.

While Paul did not cycle the entire way across the pond (ferries and flights were necessary at times), he covered thousands of kilometres, and got to collect thousands of memories.

 

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There were many times when the odyssey was pure magic; an adventure of discovery, belonging and purpose. Paul got to fall in love with new foods in Turkey (with a special mention of künefe, a Turkish desert). And he got to fall in love with the hospitality of people—including a Nubian family on an island in Aswan. He also got to relish in the awe of two of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and experienced climbing Greece’s Mount Olympus to meet Zeus (who Paul shares wasn’t in at the time).

And then there was scuba diving in Lake Malawi, and seeing a family of elephants with five babies up close in the Maasai Mara. And drinking fresh mango, avocado, papaya and guava juice, African style.

 

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And when he did get to visit the Olifants West Nature Reserve where the Black Mambas handle a lot of anti-poaching work, he was frozen, ‘heart in mouth’, at the beauty of what the all-female team protect. In a great update on the fundraising part of his story, Paul helped raise £3,288 (over R77 000) for the incredible female protectors of nature. 

 

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But there were also many tough times along the way. Moments of isolation. Tiredness. Inner conflict. But, messages of support from family and friends, stubbornness and a French cyclist’s advice to just keep going, were a few of the things that kept Paul going.

Of how he felt when he finally reached the final chapter, Paul shares that he had mixed feelings.

“I adopted a new persona for 9 months, and now it was over. I was happy and proud, but also without a purpose anymore. I was glad I could achieve my goal, and I’m going to carry that feeling of satisfaction forever. But I also had unanswered questions,” he tells Good Things Guy.

A big part of Paul’s journey was to do with identity. Being a South African who had been in the UK for 25 years, coming homeward was more than a nostalgic journey. Instead, it was something of a reclamation of a part of himself.

Beyond a powerful impact on his own life, Paul hopes that he has brought about positive impact to the Black Mambas.

“I hope that they will be able to improve the technology they use, continue their good work in the park and the local community, and feel more like the world is supporting their cause.”—Paul Edkins.

Sources: GTG interview

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Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post Paul Edkins Finishes Mambas Cycle from the UK to SA! appeared first on Good Things Guy.

An unexpected but oh-so heartwarming moment happened in the life of baby bull Phabeni after an ellie mom and daughter duo welcomed him in a way the HERD team never expected:

South Africa (22 February 2024) — Phabeni, the baby elephant orphan, recently experienced a big and unexpected highlight in his new life with HERD—the Hoedspruit Elephant Rehabilitation and Development team.

An oh-so heartwarming moment happened for Phabeni, HERD founder Adine Roode and elephant care-taker, Tigere after an ellie mom and her daughter essentially ‘adopted’ the baby ellie who is still finding his way as the newcomer to the herd.

Phabeni was rescued and brought to HERD’s care in November when he was only 4 months old. Since then, he has experienced a few wonderful, trunk trumpeting moments like putting on weight and meeting members of his new family.

But the recent highlight for the baby came when he was introduced to ellie mom Setombe and her daughter Klaserie.

Setombe, the oldest elephant and ‘head disciplinarian’ is known for not taking on baby elephants, though she is very protective and close with her Kaserie. If we think of Setombe as the head principal at school and Phabeni as the mischievous new child, the moment shared between them becomes even more special.

Captured on video, little Phabeni initially fed on female Lundi who is now comfortable with the baby bull. But towards the end of the video, where he tries his luck by suckling on Klaserie (who wasn’t sure how to feed properly), Setombe steps in, and something incredible happens.

Setombe let Phabeni suckle and welcomed the little one in a way the team had never seen from her before. Further, Kalserie was also determined to have time with Phabeni, marking the genesis of a most unexpected bond between the Ellie mom and daughter duo and the bull.

“Never did we think that Setombe would take to a new orphan in this way. Setombe followed Phabeni everywhere, even reversing to catch up to him. Setombe has never welcomed new babies like this and has always been purely hyper-focused on her own daughter in terms of bonding and protecting…this was a window to a new world for us. One that we were so excited to continue looking through,” shares Adine.

“Just when you think you know someone, they turn around and surprise you.”

In other good news for the baby bull, he is also earning a new nickname ‘Big Boy Phabeni’ after his recent weigh-in saw him at 157 kilograms, a big jump from his initial 122 kilograms and even January’s 136kgs!

Watch: The Full Special Moment Between Phabeni and the Ellies

Sources: Adine Roode

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Leanne Maiden is just a few hundred nautical miles away from becoming the first South African woman to complete the World’s Toughest Row!

Global (13 February 2024) — This morning Leanne Maiden shared an awesome update with her fans and supporters—she is only a few hundred nautical miles away from making history as the first South African woman to complete the World’s Toughest Row. This is the last push!

Initially a whopping distance of nearly 5000 kilometres ahead of her in December, Leanne has made incredible strides. If you’ve been following Leanne’s journey across the Atlantic, you know that it has not come without tremendous challenges. But, in true South African grit, Leanne has overcome everything from salty tears to work-related stress, running out of hot water, rowing into tough winds, sleep deprivation and everything else that comes with the World’s Toughest Row.

Two recent moments marked silver linings of strength for this incredible woman—finding a can of peaches after she thought she had run out, and seeing hope in the sky after noticing an aeroplane.

The aeroplane was particularly significant, as it signalled her first visual indication of being close to land.

“In four days time my family will be flying over in one of those aeroplanes to come and meet me,” she shared in an update. 

With under 200 nautical miles left ahead of her, Leanne’s odyssey is almost at its end and she will soon join other South African legends who made it past their last push, like Peet Botma.

But the last push calls for louder support, and that’s where we know we can count on South Africans! (And in Leanne’s case, Scotland folks too!).

Leanne is rowing not just to make two countries proud (South Africa, her heart and Scotland her home), but also to support three charities: The Mabel Foundation who are the heroes fighting against period poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Women’s Fun Scotland (grassroots programme focused) and The Polar Academy (child-focused).

Beyond these, she also hopes to inspire her children and ‘ordinary people’ (as she inaccurately refers to herself) to do ambitious, crazy things.

Go, Leanne!

Sources: Fair Winds and Following Seas; Leanne Maiden 

Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google. 

Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post All Aboard the Support Ship for Leanne’s Last Push! appeared first on Good Things Guy.

A seagull stuck in an unfortunate situation at the top of a 20m lamppost was rescued thanks to an everyday hero who obviously isn’t afraid of heights and bravely went above and beyond in every literal sense. Take a look!

Gordon’s Bay, South Africa (12 February 2024) — A seagull found itself in a sticky situation in Gordon’s Bay recently after it ended up stuck at the top of a 20-metre lamppost.

According to diving centre Just Africa Scuba who found the bird in the distressing circumstance, the seagull had reportedly gotten tangled up in a fishing line that was hanging from the pole.

This caused the seagull to naturally attempt to free itself but to no avail. After several calls to rescue services were made and amounted to no action, one brave man took matters under his own wings.

JJ Engelbrecht, described as a “passionate conservationist” by his mom—who proudly shared the story alongside Just Africa Scuba—was not going to let the seagull flap around hopelessly. As such, he undertook the kind of task that would give anyone with a fear of heights sleepless nights and began climbing the 20-metre lamppost!

While this kind of bravery is not advisable for those who do not have the correct equipment or training, JJ’s climb was something out of a movie. Bare-footed and unfazed, he made his way right to the top as though climbing a jungle gym at school. In no time, he reached the seagull, freed the bird enabling it to fly away on its merry way and potentially earned himself a new career as a daredevil.

Watch: JJ in Action!

The community has rightly approved JJ as a hero without a cape (though he might need one if he decides to continue extreme climbing adventures), and we couldn’t agree more.

Sources: Rinet Engelbrecht; Just Africa Scuba

Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google. 

Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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